Since Valentine's Day is on Monday, today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is, not surprisingly, a love freebie. My mind always blanks on freebies and I'm especially stumped on this one because I'm just not much for romance. In fiction, anyway (in real life, I've been married to my college sweetheart for 24 years). I mean, I don't mind a love story; I just don't want it to be the only story in a book, you know? Still, there are a few romance novels I've seen around lately that I wouldn't mind reading. What do the books on this list have in common? They're light, sweet, and funny (at least as far as I can tell—if I'm wrong, let me know, please). Swoony, without being smutty (I hope). I'm a right prude, so I don't want anything more than that, thank you very much!

If you want to join in the TTT fun, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

1. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood—This love-in-the-lab rom com sounds super fun (even though I'm not a fan of fake dating tropes). It's gotten lots of rave reviews all over the book blogosphere. Plus, just look at that cover. It's adorable!

2. Eight Perfect Hours by Lia Louis—Two strangers trapped in a snowstorm together fall in love in this "heartwarming" novel. This one got a lot of buzz around the holidays. Sounds like a fun Christmas read for the end of the year.

3. What You Wish For by Katherine Center—I've enjoyed several of Center's novels, so I'm definitely up for this one. Set in a school, it's about an unrequited romance between a librarian and her new principal that gets a second chance to blossom.

4. So Not My Thing by Melanie Jacobson—Jacobson's sweet, sassy romances are always entertaining. Her newest is the first in a duology set in the author's native Louisiana. It's an enemies-to-lovers story about a pop star and the woman whose most humiliating moment was plastered all over the Internet because of him.

5. Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham—This historical novel features a woman who helps run her family's 100-year-old bookshop in Asheville, North Carolina. When she discovers an old, forgotten love letter in the store's attic, it sets her off on a treasure hunt that just might end with a romance of her own.

6. A Reluctant Bride by Jody Hedlund—I've enjoyed other books by Hedlund, so I might be up for this one. It's the first in a series about a group of British women who board a bride ship bound for British Columbia in the 1860s in search of escape, improved circumstances, missing family members, and—oh, yeah—love.

7. An Impossible Imposter by Deanna Raybourn—Okay, this one is a bit of a cheat since it's more mystery than romance. It does, however, feature one of my favorite literary couples, so there ya go...This is the seventh installment in the Veronica Speedwell series, which is tons of fun. In this newest outing, Veronica and Stoker are tasked with deciding if a man with amnesia is really a client's long-lost brother.

8. The Happy Camper by Melody Carlson—I'm not someone who enjoys camping (although sleeping in an RV is infinitely more appealing than braving a tent), but this love story about a woman whose camper makeover mirrors the transformation of her life, looks like a cute, happy read.

9. Otherwise Engaged by Joanna Barker—I loved Barker's debut Regency romance, so I'm definitely up for more. This one features a spunky woman who saves a child's life, thus attracting the attention of her handsome older brother. As the two fall for each other, she must tell him the unfortunate truth—she's already engaged to marry another man. 

10. A Lady's Formula for Love by Elizabeth Everett—The plot summary of this historical romance is giving me Deanna Raybourn vibes (see #7). It's about a brilliant female scientist in Victorian England who is on a secret mission for the Crown. She's assigned a bodyguard, who turns her head more than she'd like.

There you have it, ten romance novels I might actually read. Might. We'll see. Are you a romance novel lover or hater? Which are your favorites? Based on the list above, what titles would you recommend to me? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!  

The Texas River Odyssey is a grueling, 265-mile competition that pits canoers against every kind of danger—from raging rapids to snapping alligators to paralyzing exhaustion to agonizing injuries. Sadie Scofield can't wait to tackle the race. Not only is the 17-year-old out to prove that she, like competitors from the past three generations of her family, can finish the race but she also has to redeem herself after last year's debacle. Because of her, her father's 20 year finishing streak ended. Their relationship hasn't been the same since and Sadie can't stand it. This year, she's teamed up with her older brother, Tanner. Despite some tough competition, she knows they have an excellent chance of finishing the race, maybe even winning. If she can just make her dad proud, maybe things will go back to normal between them.

When Tanner joins another team at the last minute, Sadie is shocked. And desperate. Her only option is to team up with John "Culley" Cullen, the boy she once called her best friend. She hasn't spoken to him in six years, not since a bitter family feud turned them into enemies. With no other choice, the two form a tense, awkward partnership. Out of synch from the get-go, it seems unlikely the pair will make it through the next hour, let alone through three days of forced closeness while competing in a punishing race against dozens of well-oiled teams. Can they set aside their differences long enough to finish? As the competition intensifies, tempers flare, and truths from the past are revealed. Will the tension break the uneasy duo? Or will it bring them together in ways neither of them could ever have imagined?  

Contemporary YA isn't my usual genre, but In the Same Boat—a debut novel by Holly Green—sounded like a fun change of pace, so I decided to give it a whirl. The story features competitive canoeing, something I've never read about before. It may be a little over-focused on the race at its core, but the story offers lots of interesting details about canoeing and the canoeing community, which helps bring the setting to vivid life. Although a lot of unfamiliar terms are used in the novel, which sometimes made it tough for me to picture exactly what was happening, I got the drift enough to become engaged in the story. It's got plenty of action, tension, and conflict to keep the reader burning through the pages. While I'm not a competitive person and really can't understand the kind of drive that would make anyone want to compete in an exhausting, dangerous river race, Green created convincing motivations for the main characters so I got while they were all in. Sadie and Cully are both sympathetic and determined, which made me root for them, even though I didn't really love the former. All in all, though, I enjoyed this book. It's a quick, entertaining read that teaches some good lessons about friendship, family, being enough, and working to accomplish one's goals. 

When her abusive husband dies, Lady Katherine Bascomb breathes a sigh of relief.  Not only is she finally free from his explosive temper, but she's now a wealthy widow and the owner of a London newspaper.  As such, she's free to write the kinds of articles she wants to pen, even if the laced-up Victorians frown upon a lady reporting hard news.  Kate refuses to let that stop her from using her own intelligence and insight to try to solve a spate of murders that have been plaguing the city.  When she makes a rookie investigatory misstep that puts a young woman in danger, however, she sees just how dangerous meddling in police work can be.

A seasoned detective inspector with the Metropolitan Police, Andrew Eversham is furious when he learns that Kate has been nosing around in his case.  He becomes even more enraged when he encounters her again—this time as the discoverer of a murdered manservant at her friend's country manor.  As annoyed as he is by the beautiful Kate, he can't deny that she's smart and observant.  True, she made a dangerous mistake in reporting, but would it really be so bad to give her another chance?  Andrew needs all the help he can get to stop a vicious criminal and Kate just might make a worthy partner.  Can the duo work together without losing their tempers—or their hearts?  

Everything about A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem by Manda Collins—from its playful cover to its clever tagline to its lively plot summary—screams light, fun historical mystery/romance.  I expected to be thoroughly charmed by the novel, which I have been looking forward to reading ever since it landed on my doorstep.  Did it live up to my (admittedly high) expectations?  Not exactly.  While the book is diverting overall, it didn't enchant me the way I wanted it to.  The characters are likable without being anything special.  I get that Kate is supposed to be a forward-thinking woman, but her attitude and speech feel too contemporary to be authentically Victorian.  As far as Andrew goes, his constant distraction over Kate's looks made him seem unprofessional and less honorable than I wanted him to be.  Both are supposed to be fiercely independent and love-adverse, but neither has to work too hard to win the other over, which makes their romance seem insta-lovey and stale.  I was especially annoyed by a brief, but fairly graphic sex scene that occurs about 3/4 of the way through the story.  The swerve from PG-ish territory to R came as a disappointing surprise to me.  It didn't fit with the vibe of the novel, although perhaps I should have seen it coming since Collins' other books are, apparently, bodice rippers.  Nevertheless, it soured my reading experience of what I thought would be a light, frothy romantic mystery.  Speaking of the mystery, it does have a plot twist that I didn't totally see coming, which made for a nice surprise.  Still, the finale is pretty lackluster and anti-climactic.  All of these things considered, A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem turned out to be an only slightly better-than-average read for me.  It was engaging enough to keep me reading, but too many irritants got in the way of me really enjoying it.  I wanted to love the book and just...didn't.  As far as this genre goes, I'll stick with what I already know and love.  Sorry, but Kate Bascomb simply can't compete with Veronica Speedwell and Kat Halloway.       

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of the Veronica Speedwell mystery series by Deanna Raybourn and the Kat Halloway mystery series by Jennifer Ashley, although I'd recommend both of these over A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem)

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Olive and Ami Torres might be identical twins, but they're nothing alike.  Especially when it comes to luck.  Ami wins every contest she enters.  Olive has her clumsiest, most embarrassing moments broadcast on YouTube and national television.  She's not bitter.  It's just a fact of life that Ami's life moves seamlessly forward while Ollie gets struck by lightning (literally).  She shouldn't be too surprised, then, by her present circumstances.  As the maid-of-honor at Ami's posh but almost cost-free wedding, Olive is stuffed into an atrocious, too small gown, which is not making it any easier to make nice with her archnemesis, Ethan Thomas, who is—naturally—the best man.  

Shockingly, Olive's luck starts to change when all the guests at the wedding dinner get food poisoning from the discount seafood buffet except for her.  From her sickbed, Ami insists Olive take the fabulous, free honeymoon vacation Ami won for herself and her new husband.  All Olive has to do to take advantage of a relaxing week in Hawaii is pretend to be newly married to the only other person who isn't sick—Ethan.  She'll keep up the pretense when necessary, then dump him on a beach somewhere and enjoy her vacation solo.  Easy peasy.  There's only one problem—the more time Olive spends in paradise with Ethan, the more she doesn't want to leave.  Him.  Will the unluckiest girl in the world find a way to screw up what's starting to feel like the best thing that's ever happened to her?  Or has fate finally done her a solid?  

From its bright, colorful cover to its engaging, zany plot to its likable characters and humorous story situations, The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren is a fun read.  It's upbeat, funny, swoony, and just all kinds of enjoyable.  I definitely would have preferred a PG-13 version, but still, this is a witty, heartfelt novel that kept me royally entertained.  It's almost universally loved by readers/reviewers and it's easy to see why.  Next time I'm looking for a diverting rom-com, I'll keep this writing duo in mind.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a half-dozen F-bombs, plus milder expletives), innuendo, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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With her only child away at college in faraway California, single mom Renee Rhodes feels unmoored.  Without her daughter to dote on, she hardly knows who she is anymore.  She enjoys her receptionist job at a pediatrician's office (although her crush on her boss is downright embarrassing), her gardening, and her baking, but is it enough to sustain and fulfill her?

Chasing an active toddler around all day and trying to keep her home in order without the aid of her workaholic husband has left Sadie Landry feeling bone-tired.  When she discovers she's pregnant again, she realizes she's reached her breaking point.  Between the baby she's growing, the tension in her marriage, and the constant criticism from her outspoken mother-in-law, Sadie has had it.  

Although they're neighbors in quaint Cranberry Cove, Maine, Renee and Sadie don't really know each other.  Until a culinary disaster brings them together.  The resulting friendship that develops between them gives both women the outlet and support they've been looking for.  But will it be enough to sustain them as Renee and Sadie both take big leaps in their lives?

Forever Friends, a debut novel by Sarah Mackenzie, is a little fluffier than my usual reading fare.  Still, the story touches on deeper subjects than its easy, breezy cover would suggest. It tells an upbeat tale set against a cozy backdrop and featuring likable characters.  Its central theme of women supporting women definitely resonated with me.  While the plot doesn't exactly offer tense, nail-biting action, there was enough going on to keep me turning pages.  There was never a point, though, that I couldn't have put Forever Friends down for good.  Overall, then, I liked but didn't love this one.  Will I read the next book in the series?  Eh.  Maybe, maybe not.  

(Readalikes:  Um, nothing's coming readily to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  

for language (1 F-bomb, plus milder expletives) and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Forever Friends from the generous folks at Forever (a division of Hachette Book Group) in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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Without the intervention of World War II, Izabela would never have met Bill King.  At 20 years old, she is stuck on the family farm in Czechoslovakia helping her mother while her father and older brother are fighting with the Resistance.  As much as Izzy wants to do her part for her country, she can't leave what's left of her family to fend for itself.  When a Nazi officer offers to help the women with the harvest by bringing in a group of British POW's, Bill is among the workers.  Although he's skin and bones, the gunner from London catches Izzy's eye because of his ready smile and his obvious passion for music.  He's attracted to her, too, and soon the unlikely couple is meeting in the barn for clandestine cuddles.  

When Izzy and Bill decide to marry secretly and run away together, defying both the Nazis and Izzy's mother, they set themselves on a dangerous path.  Only days after their union, they're captured and thrown into a large POW camp in Poland.  Dressed in her brother's old clothes, Izzy is hiding in plain sight, desperate not to be revealed as a woman or a Czech.  If thought to be a spy, she would be shot on sight.  Determined to protect his new wife at all costs, Bill enlists his trusted comrades to help keep her safe.  Not all of the POW's can be relied on, however, and when push comes to shove, it's up to Izzy and Bill to save themselves ...

I've read a lot of World War II novels and I've never come across another with the premise that lies at the heart of The Prisoner's Wife, a debut novel by British poet Maggie Brookes.  Although the tale purports to be based on a true story, the details of the "real" Izzy and Bill are so vague that their story's veracity is very much in question.  Regardless, it's an intriguing idea that should have led to a tense, nail-biter of a novel.  Turns out, The Prisoner's Wife is really not all that exciting.  Most of the story takes place inside the camp or on work details where the POWs are starved, but not in immediate danger of much more than dying of boredom.  Despite a few conflicts here and there, it wasn't until the characters were enduring the Long March at the end of the book that I really worried about their survival.  Beyond that, the plot is episodic and rather dull, especially in its very saggy middle.  While Brookes succeeds at creating a strong feeling of friendship and camaraderie between Izzy, Bill, and the other POWs, Izzy and Bill never feel very well-developed as individuals or as a couple.  Although she's described as a spitfire on numerous occasions, Izzy spends the majority of the novel content to let the men protect her, without taking any risks of her own.  I kept waiting for her to do something and she just ... doesn't.  It's not even until the end of the story that she really makes sacrifices for anyone other than herself.  Likewise, her hasty marriage is based way more on lust than love, making her fight to remain with Bill seem unrealistic.  All things considered, then, I didn't end up loving The Prisoner's Wife.  I'm still intrigued by its premise, but its ho-hum execution made the book way too easy to put down.  Although I did end up finishing it, the read left me feeling less than satisfied.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of every other World War II concentration camp novel I've read) 

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, blood/gore, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of The Prisoner's Wife from the generous folks at Berkley (an imprint of Penguin Random House).  Thank you!

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Six years ago, three strangers flew to Italy to enjoy a surprise vacation on the stunning Amalfi Coast.  Each of the women expected to soak in the picture-perfect scenery, dine on delectable cuisine, and relax on the sparkling beach.  None of them foresaw meeting the others at a ramshackle villa and becoming instant, lifelong friends.  What Kim, Colette, and Annie experienced in Italy—from friendship to romance to the start of a successful business—changed their lives.

Now, Kim is bringing them back to Italy for the grand re-opening of the villa that started it all.  A well-known wellness guru, she's had the place renovated and turned into a health spa.  She can't wait for her old friends to join celebrities, investors, and other influencers at what will certainly be the most glamorous event of the season.  It soon becomes apparent, however, that someone is out to sabotage Kim by exposing a ruinous secret she thought no one knew about.  She's not the only one worried about what could happen in Italy.  Annie has her own secret to hide.  She's also got her own reasons for needing to be at Kim's fancy party—and it's not to pat Kim on the back for a job well done.  Then there's Colette, who fell madly in love with a local while in Italy and subsequently had her heart dashed into a million pieces.  Although she's been happily married to another man for five years, she can't help but wonder what happened to the one that got away.  Luca will no doubt be at Kim's party.  What will happen when she sees him again?  

When the three women reunite on the Amalfi Coast, shocking secrets will out, old resentments will flare, and, once again, the friends' lives will be forever changed by what happens in Italy ...

Old-friends-coming-back-together-to-deal-with-past-secrets-that-are-threatening-to-come-to-light is one of my favorite mystery/thriller tropes.  I figured I'd dig it in a contemporary romance/women's novel as well.  Unfortunately, The Summer Villa by Melissa Hill didn't pull me in like such thrillers usually do.  The story started slowly and took its time getting to the juicy parts.  As much as I loved the book's sparkling setting, I found the characters, the prose, and the plot pretty meh.  All of the starring women irritated me with their immaturity—even their adult selves were childish and petty.  Even though I saw the plot twists coming, I did want to know what was going to happen in the story, so I finished it.  In the end, though, The Summer Villa was just an average read for me.  Nothing special.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other summer friendship novels, but no specific titles are coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of The Summer Villa from the generous folks at HarperCollins.  Thank you!

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Twenty years separate sisters Adele Descaro and Justine Somersby.  Although they live near each other and have communicated over the years about their parents' declining health, the two have never been close.  Now that their mother has died, the women find they have more in common than they ever have before.  Both are at a crossroads in their lives, which has left each of them anxious, worried, and emotionally at sea.  Having been their mother's primary caregiver for the last eight years, 32-year-old Adele has to decide what to do about a job, the graduate education she abandoned in order to help at home, and the surprising demands of the man who's been her gentle, patient best friend throughout her life.  When Justine discovers her husband of 30 years has been cheating on her, she's devastated.  Divorcing the only man she's ever loved is heartbreaking, but it's also given her the freedom she never knew she wanted.  As she picks up the pieces of her shattered life, Justine finds herself relying more and more on her little sister.  While the sisters find their way back to each other and themselves, they experience healing along with new problems.  Will their new-found closeness bring them together or tear them even more apart?  

I've read a number of books by the prolific Robyn Carr, mostly her small-town romance novels set in Grace Valley and Virgin River.  What I love most about Carr is that her warm, genuine nature shines through in both the towns and the characters she creates.  Her settings are inviting, her story people authentic, and her writing upbeat, even when discussing tough subjects.  Although Carr's newest women's fiction effort, Sunrise on Half Moon Bay, is not my favorite of her many novels, it still showcases the trademarks I just mentioned.  While not as developed as Grace Valley and Virgin River, Half Moon Bay comes off as a charming little town full of cheerful, concerned folks.  Adele drove me crazy with her flakiness and fickleness, it's true.  Still, I enjoyed seeing the relationship between her and Justine (whom I found much easier to identify with) evolve in a realistic way.  Carr does tackle some difficult subjects in Sunrise on Half Moon Bay, but overall this is an easy, uplifting read with the kind of guaranteed HEA Carr does so well.  I didn't love her newest as I have some of her older novels, but Carr has a special place in my heart and I'll always be willing to read whatever she writes.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other novels by Carr as well as those by Kristan Higgins)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, disturbing subject matter, and sexual content (only one scene, but it's fairly detailed)

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Sunrise on Half Moon Bay from the generous folks at Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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When Elizabeth Barnes is fired after an off-the-cuff remark brings unexpected embarrassment to the tech company for which she works, the 32-year-old workaholic is at loose ends.  She still has a horde of followers on her social media accounts, but with no job, no family left and no true IRL friends, Elizabeth's once-glamorous Silicon Valley life suddenly seems very empty.  A surprise phone call from a British uncle she never knew she had comes at just the right time.  Not only will a trip across the pond give her a chance to reboot (not to mention fill her feeds with attention-getting travel selfies) and connect with estranged family members, but the sale of her father's land should bring in enough cash to tide her over until she can find new employment.  

Although Elizabeth receives a warm welcome in Fargrove, it's immediately apparent that she doesn't belong in the tiny backwater town.  Without a reliable Internet connection, she's losing followers by the second.  Still, when two intriguing opportunities—a temporary job organizing her uncle's artwork and an adorable puppy who's decided to adopt Elizabeth—land in her lap, Elizabeth finds she can't refuse either.  Then there's the stunningly handsome James Holworthy, whose eye she simply must catch... As life in Fargrove teaches her to value a simpler way of being, Elizabeth must decide what she really wants, who she really is, and where she truly belongs.

Even though I'm not a huge animal lover, I really can't resist the sweet pup on the cover of Who Rescued Who by professional dog trainer Victoria Schade.  I can't say I loved the novel, but I did very much enjoy gazing at its adorable cover model!  I also liked the story's quaint setting as well as the warm-hearted townsfolk who inhabit the small village of Fargrove.  For me, the secondary characters way upstaged the heroine and hero, neither of whom I found very appealing.  Although Elizabeth does change over the course of the novel, she's still a stuck-up, self-centered brat with whom I never felt much of a connection.  Perhaps it's because everything always turns up roses for her that I didn't feel invested in her "plight."  James comes off as equally as shallow.  Their insta-lovey romance feels forced—Elizabeth's bond with her dog is both more believable and better developed than her relationship with James.  Plotwise, there was enough going on in the story to keep me reading, but the tale definitely feels longer than necessary, especially since it offers no real surprises.  All in all, then, Who Rescued Who turned out to be just an okay read for me.  That gorgeous furball on the cover, though?  He/she gets an A+ all the way!

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of other novels about unmoored city women finding their place in the back of beyond, although no specific titles are coming to mind.  You?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives) and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Who Rescued Who from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (two F-bombs, plus milder expletives), innuendo, and depictions of/references to underage drinking and illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Tweet Cute from the generous folks at St. Martin's Press (an imprint of Macmillan) in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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For years, Mia Graydon has had recurring dreams starring the same dark-haired man.  A man who is not her husband.  She hasn't thought a lot of it as her life has taken its own dream-like path toward fulfillment.  With a strong marriage to a handsome doctor, a spacious house (picket fence and all) in a quaint new town, a private studio which will allow for hours of peaceful painting, and a baby on the way after two miscarriages, Mia is experiencing the joy of hope and possibility unfurling before her.  It feels as if anything could happen in her happy, privileged life. 

Then, the unexpected occurs—Mia sees the man from her dreams.  To her absolute astonishment, Oliver is a real, flesh-and-blood person.  A nice one to boot and one with whom she feels instantly comfortable.  Even more amazing, he has been dreaming of her too.  As the two puzzle out the meaning (or lack thereof) behind their odd connection, Mia's orderly life starts to veer off the rails.  With things falling apart in her real life, her dreams of Oliver start to seem more and more appealing.  When it comes to a choice between salvaging her reality and chasing what could be, what will Mia ultimately decide to do?

You Were There Too, a new novel by Colleen Oakley, explores the intriguing question of what if?  It uses a unique premise to ruminate on common themes like marriage, infertility, grief, guilt, and familiarity vs. newness in romantic relationships.  The characters come off as authentic (flawed, but relatable), the prose is engaging, and the story compelling.  You Were There Too kept me guessing right up until the unexpected plot twist at the end which seems to come out of nowhere, but is actually inevitable and, when you think about it, not entirely surprising.  Overall, then, I found You Were There Too to be an engrossing, funny, poignant novel about love, loss, and the strange "coincidences" of life that maybe aren't so coincidental after all.  

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of novels by Joshilyn Jackson and Katherine Center)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a few F-bombs, plus milder expletives), mild sexual content, and violence

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of You Were There Too from the generous folks at Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

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You probably thought you were done with BBB book reviews until 2020.  No such luck!  I stayed up way too late last night/this morning to finish How to Walk Away by Katherine Center.  Her newest, Things You Save in a Fire, was one of my favorite reads of 2019, so now I'm reading her backlist.  Isn't it great when you find a new author to love and they've got a bunch of already-written books for you to explore?  

How to Walk Away concerns Margaret Jacobsen, a 28-year-old Texan on the cusp of making all her dreams come true.  With the ink still drying on her shiny new MBA, she's poised to land a dream job.  She's purchased a new condo and is waiting patiently for the marriage proposal she knows is coming from her boyfriend, Chip.  Then, irony of ironies, the woman who hates to fly is involved in a small plane crash that leaves her with third-degree burns on her upper body and paralysis below the knees.  Devastated, but determined, she plans to make a quick recovery, then resume the life-of-dreams she knows is still possible.

As Margaret struggles with treatments, especially physical therapy under the merciless hand of Ian Moffat, she's plagued by feelings of doubt, depression, and grief.  While everything in her perfect Before life slowly falls apart, leaving only her bleak Now, Margaret can't even think about how things might look After.  Soon, the only bright spots in her day are visits from her long-estranged sister and her Scottish PT who never cracks a smile.  As the weeks wear on, Margaret starts to understand that she may never walk again.  Also that her crush on Ian remains quite unrequited.  With nothing else to look forward to in life, what is Margaret going to do?  Is hope another Before thing that has deserted Margaret?  Will she find something to live for or will she keep her date with her suicide calendar?

Despite its grim subject matter, How to Walk Away is actually a warm, humorous, upbeat book.  Margaret's voice is engaging, even while she deals with the terror of her new normal.  She's self-deprecating and funny, but also brave, loyal, and resolute.  It's impossible not to root for her.  The love story at the center of the novel is sweet.  With its themes of appreciating what you can do, serving others as a way to steer your focus away from yourself, and looking to the future—however bleak it might seem—with hope and courage, How to Walk Away is an empowering novel that's entertaining, fun, and moving.  I loved it.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language, violence, and mild sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

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When 19-year-old Jason Covington confessed to killing his best friend, Calvin Gaines, it shocked his small hometown of Telford, Texas.  Jason received a 30-year prison sentence for his crime.  His parents and younger sister became pariahs.  Convinced her brother could not have done something so heinous, 17-year-old Brooke Covington is determined to prove to everyone that her brother's innocent.  Jason warns her to leave it alone, but Brooke hates that she can only talk to him through bars and that their family has become Public Enemy #1.

One day, Brooke spies Heath Gaines, Calvin's younger brother, on the side of the road with car trouble.  Against her better judgment, she offers him a ride.  Heath is angry and bitter, but he obviously needs a friend as much as Brooke does.  Without really meaning to, they begin a secret friendship, which gradually turns into more.  Their parents would be furious if they knew.  The only way to make it right is to prove Jason's innocence.  But the more Brooke learns about what really happened the night Calvin died, the more worried she becomes.  If Jason lied about killing Calvin, he has to be protecting someone.  But whom?  And if she exposes the real murderer, will she be sealing the fate of someone else she loves?

Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson is yet another two-broken-kids-come-together-and-heal-each-other novel, but the whole forbidden romance aspect gives it a bit of originality.  It's an intriguing premise to be sure.  The idea of an entire town freezing out a respectable family because of the crimes of one member seems a little far-fetched to me, though.  I also had issues with Brooke, who's sympathetic but also whiney and victimy, which gets old.  While the story is undeniably compelling, it's also sad, depressing, heavy, and melodramatic.  The ending did surprise me and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.  Overall, Even If I Fall isn't anything shout-it-from-the-rooftops amazing.  I liked it enough to finish the book, but I didn't love it.   

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry and other two-broken-kids-come-together-and-heal-each-other stories)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for brief, mild language (no F-bombs), violence, and innuendo

To the FTC, with love:  Another library fine find

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Jesse Lachlin has always felt a deep, almost otherworldly connection to his family's land.  All the 17-year-old wants is to cultivate it, work it, and breathe it in every day for the rest of his life.  When the grandmother who raised him dies, the land should go to Jesse.  The only problem is the will, in which Jesse's deceased guardian insists that he must prove his ability to care for the land for a year.  After that, a three-person tribunal will vote on whether or not he can keep it.  Angry but determined, Jesse will do whatever it takes to prove himself.

Scarlett Copeland is shocked when Jesse Lachlin, the boy-next-door and the person she used to run to whenever she needed comfort, suddenly wants to be friends again.  They haven't spoken since he shut her out, then humiliated her at school.  Scarlett is shocked when he informs her that she is one of the people his grandmother selected for the tribunal and that, in exchange for her vote, he will aid her in escaping her father's strict hold on her so that she can attend the college of her choice.  Despite her reservations, Scarlett agrees.  

As the two work together to get what they both want, they find themselves rediscovering each other and the relationship that once meant the world to them both.  Will their tentative reconnection last?  Will either of them get what they really want?  Or will they both end up stuck in place instead of on the way to achieving their longed-for dreams? 

Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry is another heavy, dramatic two-broken-kids-come-together-and-heal-each-other story, the likes of which can be found in almost every contemporary YA novel on the market.  This one brings nothing new or fresh to the genre, but it is a compelling tale featuring two sympathetic characters who are easy to root for.  Neither Jesse nor Scarlett act or talk like real teens, even old-souled ones, and their situation seems implausible and overly dramatic.  Despite all this, I did like the novel overall.  I can't say I loved it, but it was an a-little-bit-better-than-average read for me.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Even If I Fall by Abigail Johnson and a million other similar YA novels) 

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (no F-bombs), violence, and depictions of underage drinking and illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Only a Breath Apart from the generous folks at Tor for the purpose of Cybils Award judging.  Thank you!